SAVING THE NATIONAL HERITAGE.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIII, Issue 20638, 29 January 1937, Page 8

SAVING THE NATIONAL HERITAGE.

Everyone who can assess the causes behind the staggering flood disaster that has fallen on the United States, synchronising, as it does with the severe drought that ironically enough, holds the great plains in the Western States in its devastating grip, will welcome the interest being displayed in two phases of the problem of soil conservation and the protection and rehabilitation of the Dominion forests, that is revealed in recent Ministerial statements. The Minister of Public Works in the course of a reply to a deputation that sought State action to prevent river erosion, said: "We have to tackle the problem of tens of thousands of acres being washed out to sea. We cannot allow it to continue. We have read what happened in America. “My study of the rivers of the Dominion makes me think that such is not impossible in New Zealand.” The Minister said that he did not desire to be called a fatalist or a scaremonger, but in his opinion the Manawatu River carried a terrible risk if not dealt with methodically and scientifically. The trouble was not confined to the Manawatu or the Rangitikei. A good deal of trouble was man-created. There had been ruthless destruction of timber on hillsides, without an afforestation policy for replacement. It is worthy of note that the major disasters in the form of floods and droughts, bringing with them the destruction of wide areas of country, have been forecasted for many years in the United States. As the Minister of Public Works suggests, these disasters have their cause in man’s reckless upsetting of the balance of Nature. Hence in a comparatively young country the problem of soil conservation and the restoration of the forests ought to be tackled before the flood menace, such as the shocked onlooker throughout the world has seen in the United States, gets out of hand. The other apposite statement comes from the Commisisoner of State Forests. The Minister gave his impression away up in the North Island yesterday, that he had satisfied himself that “to conserve the use and regenerate the forest’s area it would be necessary to put into opration immediately a strict policy of forest management.” It is obvious that the Minister of Public Works and the Commisioner of State Forests must coordinate their efforts in tackling one of the major problems confronting New Zealand to-day. South Canterbury, whidfi is often toyed with by the relentless elements that bring floods or dry weather, possesses an impressive monument away back in the “misty gorges” that appeals to the residents of the Mackenzie Country to “plant trees for their lives.” This is the message to New Zealand. Years of ruthless destruction of natural forests, without regard to the place of trees in the scheme of nature, have created problems which New Zealand must face. Hence 1 is gratifying to note the lively interest being displayed it these nationally important problems.